The present invention is directed toward a heated gutter system and, more particularly, to such a system which will prevent ice from building up on and around a gutter.
During periods of cold weather, it is common for significant amounts of snow and ice to build up on a roof. Such snow and ice also fills the gutter which extends along the roof edge. As the gutter is filled with snow and ice, an ice dam may be created which completely covers the rain gutter and the roof edge from which the gutter extends. Oftentimes, the level of snow and ice extends a substantial distance above the level of the drain pipes. When the gutter is so filled, the eventual thawing of the snow and ice during warm periods of the day causes water to seep in between the roof shingles and drain into areas of the attic or ceiling thereby causing structural damage.
In recognition of the foregoing, various devices have been designed for preventing ice from building up in a gutter by supplying heat to the same. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,527 to Tourangeau et al. discloses securing several heating elements, which are connected to a power source, in or adjacent to a gutter. Specifically, the Tourangeau et al. patent discloses securing an elongated panel to a roof edge. A plurality of conduits are secured to the undersurface of the panel. A separate heating element is inserted through each of the conduits. A conduit is similarly secured to the bottom of the gutter, which has yet another a heating element extending therethrough. Obviously, the installation of the panel, conduits and heating elements would be expensive, time consuming and labor intensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,527 to Franzmeier discloses securing a heating element in a zig zag configuration adjacent the edge of a roof. However, the heating elements do not extend into the gutter. Accordingly, snow and ice may build up in the same. Further, the installation of the heating elements is labor intensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,111,251 to Spilsbury discloses securing a heating element across the bottom of a gutter. The heating element is supported by an elongated curved portion which extends across the bottom of gutter along the entire length of same. The Spilsbury device is not intended to be secured to a gutter which is already secured to a roof edge. Rather, the Spilsbury heating element is intended to be secured to the bottom of the gutter before the gutter is secured to the roof edge.